How science is learning from patients about cannabis

Patients have been using cannabis for much longer than scientists have been seriously studying its medical value and applications. Of course there’s no substitute for clinical trials, but that doesn’t mean we should dismiss patient experience as merely anecdotal, Tilray’s VP of patient research, Philippe Lucas, says.“We have 10 clinical studies either completed or underway, but we’re also equally committed to gathering real world evidence,” Lucas explains of his company’s dual approach to researching medical cannabis. “Ultimately patients can tell us a lot about what works best for specific conditions or what dosages are most effective.”What does successful cannabis legalization look like? Medical cannabis has been legal in Canada for nearly 20 years and recreational for over a year, and that experience can be of immense value.“I don’t want [the rest of the world] to just learn from our successes, they have a lot to learn from our failures,” Lucas says of the lessons Canada’s legalization holds for other countries considering a similar path.Make sure to stick around until the end of the episode [33:50], where we sit down with Dr. Roni Sharon to get a physician’s perspective on the vaping crisis that has killed at least 47 people. Listen to hear how that has changed some doctors’ approach to prescribing cannabis.“It’s a big dilemma for us prescribers because it’s actually one of the best ways of prescribing cannabis for patients,” Dr. Sharon says.This episode was produced by Elana Goldberg and Matan Weil, edited by Michael Schaeffer Omer-Man, and Yoav Morder was the sound engineer. Music by Desca.